


Within My Arms  4/4

by Sugarbubbleslove



Series: Tear Your Heart Out and Pray [4]
Category: Dragon Age
Genre: F/M, Gen, Light Dom/sub, Sexual Content
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-31
Updated: 2012-12-31
Packaged: 2017-11-23 03:31:23
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,320
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/617591
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sugarbubbleslove/pseuds/Sugarbubbleslove
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There she is; a ghost from his past and he finds that maybe…just maybe the path they've been on will always lead them to each other…</p>
            </blockquote>





	Within My Arms  4/4

Title: Within My Arms

Characters: Cullen, Solona Amell, others are mentioned.

Pairings: Cullen/Solona, (hints of Anders/Marian, Bethany/Keran, Alistair/Elissa)

Rating: Adult

Disclaimer: I do not own anyone/anything from the forum Dragon Age. Bioware owns Dragon Age and its characters. There is no copyright infringement intended. I do not make any profit/money or take any credit.

Summary: There she is; a ghost from his past and he finds that maybe…just maybe the path they've been on will always lead them to each other…

Timeline: Post Dragon Age II

Warning: Sexual themes, angst,

Author's Notes: Here's the last part. It started with Cullen/Solona and it will end with Cullen/Solona.

Follows: ' _Tear Your Heart Out and Pray_ ', ' _To The Maker For Salvation_ ' and ' _Because There Is None To Be Found_ '.

'Within My Arms'

' _Tear your heart out and pray to the Maker for Salvation, because there is none to be found within my arms.'_

 _'Not everyone is lucky enough to have a second chance. Earn it…and don't let it go,'_ Anders' words ran over in his mind. The mage had told him this before he blew up the Chantry and disappeared after Marian Hawke had spared his life but told him to run.

He remembered seeing the hesitation in Anders' eyes, the longing in Marian's eyes but the betrayal had been too new, too raw for her to be in his presence at the moment.

He knew, deep within himself, they would meet up somewhere down the road and they would probably have another chance…just like he was beginning to understand what Anders' words meant.

He held his breath when he saw her. Her dark-red hair was longer, reaching mid-back. Her dark green eyes were filled with shadows, making them darker than before. She was dressed in simple dark brown leather breeches and same coloured corset waistcoat.

He blinked when he realised she was dressed like a rogue and remembered that she had spent time with Leliana after the Blight had ended. Obviously they had decided that dressing her up as a rogue was a good cover for her.

He watched as she greeted each person who had come out to see her. He knew Queen Anora had sent her to find out what happened with the Chantry and in hope that they could salvage something out of the war.

Solona had never wanted a war between the Mages and the Templars, she had feared this moment and here it was. She had been sent into the eye of the cyclone in a bid to discover why it had escalated and hopefully stop the war before more innocents were caught in the crossfire.

He watched as she came to a stop in front of him, blinking in confusion at the sight of him and he guessed no-one had told her that he had been relocated to Kirkwall…or that he was now the new Knight-Commander, a vote had placed him into the former Knight-Commander Meredith's shoes.

"Solona," he greeted. Her eyes softened for a moment at the sight of him, a familiar smile curling her lips before the memories crashed back and she stiffened, her eyes turning hard and lips pressing into a thin smile.

"Cullen," she greeted. Even the coldness of her voice couldn't stop the hope from spreading within his chest. She had seen him fondly for a brief moment. He knew this was probably wasn't the right time to be considering it but he couldn't help but feel that maybe fates had something in store for them.

"Knight-Commander Cullen," he softly corrected and her eyes narrowed, reaffirming no-one had told her that she would be dealing with him during her time in Kirkwall and he had a feeling she would be making a mental note to chew the very people out for not warning her. "Would you like a tour or would you like to get right down to business?"

Maybe he shouldn't have said that as her eyes flickered down his body for a brief moment and he was struck by a wave of desire.

"You have an office?" she asked and he nodded. "Lead the way then. I rather not spend more time here that I have to." She stiffened her shoulders, looking around. "This place reeks of blood magic and demons."

Cullen bowed his head before gesturing the way, walking along side of her. He couldn't help but steal glances out of the corner of his eyes. It had been so long since he saw her and his hands itched to find out if her skin was still as soft as they looked.

He clenched his hands into fists and he gritted his teeth, anything to stop him from making a fool out of himself over a woman who probably hated his guts. Not that he could blame her.

He had been so naïve, so young and so stupid yet he had been in so much pain. He had seen his comrades die, he had been tortured with her image and their time together had been twisted. It had taken a while before he was able to look back on his time with her without self-disgust.

But Alistair's words had given him a hope he hadn't dared to look at for a good while but seeing her next to him, it made him wonder if they still had a chance and he wondered if Anders knew they would send Solona to investigate the incident.

Shaking his head, they reached his office and he opened the door allowing her to step through when he caught her scent. He held his breath, shaking his head as past memories flooded to the front of his mind and he was almost swept away when she called his name.

He turned his head to see her looking at him curiously that, for a moment, he felt he was back at the tower and she was in their room waiting for him.

He managed to pull himself away from his memories, stepping into the room and closing the door behind him so they wouldn't attract attention. It also helped that the door was thick enough so no-one would be able to listen in on them.

She scanned the room, taking it in. It reminded him of the time she first saw his bedroom – that he shared – in Kirkwall. He had changed it since he received the title, not wanting any memories of the former knight-commander lying around. Although she had been an inspiration at first, the idol had slowly corrupted her and tarnished her image in everyone's eyes.

"It seems like you," she said, turning her head in his direction with a brief smile before she turned to his desk, curious at the different items he had collected over the years. A familiar silver amulet slipped free from her neckline and a brief smile crossed his face when he noticed it.

"Is that Alistair's Amulet?" he asked, pointing to the necklace. Her hand went to the amulet, her skin whitened. "How is he? Did he manage to get married to his betrothed?" He instantly knew he said something wrong when tears filmed her eyes and she turned around, giving him her back.

"You haven't heard?" she asked, her voice breathless and shaky. "He's dead. He was killed when he dealt the final blow to the Archdemon. There's a statue dedicated to him – that was my request for helping to stop the blight." He found he couldn't swallow due to the lump that formed at her words.

He closed his eyes and cursed under his breath, wondering how that piece of news slipped past him. Despite their meeting being brief, he had come to like the young ex-Templar.

"What of his betrothed?" Alistair had spoken lovingly of the woman and he wondered how she was faring the loss of her beloved. A choked sob came from the woman before him and he inched closer.

"She was killed by Loghain's right-hand man when he attacked her family before the Battle at Ostagar." He froze in his steps, the implication clear in the air. She had been dead when Alistair spoke of her.

"When…?" he found it difficult to ask, he feared the answer he thought he knew.

"At the Landsmeet," his heart dipped and he felt sick. "Loghain had delighted in telling him." She spun around, tears streaks on her cheeks as she shook her head. "I lied; Alistair didn't die at the hands of the Archdemon. He died that night when he found out that his beloved was dead. The Alistair who died later was just a shell of him." Her hands came up to her face as she sobbed.

"'Lona," he embraced her, needing to hold her. Her hands came away from her face and around his waist as she buried her face into his neck, not caring that his armour was uncomfortable. He could feel the hot tears on his neck and wondered how many times had she cried over this.

"I miss him," she whispered. "He was my brother and that bastard killed him." He didn't have any words so he kissed the side of her head, wishing he could heal her but only she could by accepting Alistair's death and the people who had played a hand in it.

He closed his eyes in a brief prayer to Alistair. He had given Cullen a good advice; even if Cullen hadn't taken it and he couldn't help but feel that maybe Alistair was guiding them to each other, wanting to reunite them in his afterlife.

She suddenly stiffened in his arms and he dropped his arms, watching as she scrubbed her face and took a step back and instantly missed her warmth. How long had it been since he last held her close? How long had it been since he last tasted her? Saw her smile?

She turned back to the cool mage everyone knew best and decided to get down to business She had an investigation to do and letting him comfort her over the death of a brother wasn't part of it.

"So, I was told that a Mage blew up the Chantry but no-one could give me any details on who it was or how they did it or even why," she shook her head. He hesitated for a moment; he didn't want to hurt her. He knew that she and Anders were good friends and if she were to find out…well, he didn't think it would be pretty.

"Cullen?" her voice broke into his thoughts and he looked at her. Worry filled those green eyes and he sighed, he had to tell her – he had never been good at keeping secrets whenever she looked at him like that.

"Solona," he stepped forward and she frowned, she seemed to know that she wasn't going to like what he had to hear. He winced. "The mage…it was Anders." She stared at him in disbelief, her lips parting and closing like she didn't know what to say.

"Anders? Anders did this?" she demanded and Cullen nodded. She parted her lips, probably to refuse to accept it but she must have seen something in his facial expression that told her that he was telling the truth.

He watched as her lips closed and her shoulders sagged. A hand came up to pinch the bridge of her nose and all of a sudden, she looked older than her age and it worried him. He wondered how much of that tiredness was due to her Calling and the stress everyone seems to place on her shoulders.

He knew that her duty as a Grey Warden should have prevented her from being involved in the investigation but there probably had been rumours of a mage being involved and since she was pretty much the one mage they could trust, they asked her.

"Why?" she asked, her tone weary. He wondered if she was talking to him or to a ghost of the past – Anders. "Why would he do this? He must have known that it would have started a war and destroyed everything we worked for!"

Anger flashed through her, causing her skin to take on the shiny crystallised texture and the air around them to turn chilly. He could see his breath taking form. Almost as abruptly as it arrived, it disappeared, her skin returning to their normal lightly tanned hue.

"Solona," he took a step forward and she looked at him with those eyes, the same eyes she would use whenever she desperately wanted an answer and believed he would have them. It caused his lungs to clench, his heart to skip a beat and he wished so badly he could take her into his arms once more, to soothe her doubts and fears.

He shook his head to get rid of the thought; he couldn't have them right now. "The circle here, it's stricter than Ferelden," he explained. "There was a Templar who forced harrowed mages into Tranquils." He knew that got her anger flaring once more as she stepped forward, her hands flashing blue.

"WHAT?!" she clenched her hands, gritting her teeth. He held up his hands to ward her anger back.

"He's dead; he died at the hands of your Cousin, Marian Hawke." That got her anger under control and she suddenly became guarded, taking a step back as if she feared that he would reach in and expose her secrets. "I know Anders had a friend who was forced to become a tranquil. I think combined with everything else – including Meredith becoming…paranoid," he put delicately but she snorted.

"You mean convinced that every mage was a blood mage in hiding," she corrected and he winced. "First Enchanter Irving and Knight-Commander Gregoir told me. They wanted me to be prepared when I came here." He sighed before he nodded. He shouldn't have expected any less from his previous leaders.

"I think with everything that happened, he started losing faith and believed that this was the only way to prove that the Mages weren't going to sit back anymore," he finished. She sighed, crossing her arms as she walked over to the window.

"Damn him," she muttered, her hands going to the ledge before she slammed her hands on the stone. "Damn him! We have only just begun to recover from the Blight; this Maker-Damned war is not what we need!"

He watched her, not making a move toward her. He knew right now her anger was in control and she needed to let it go first before anyone could approach her. Funny how he still knew her yet he didn't know her.

She took in a shuddering breath, her head suddenly bowing and her shoulders slumped. She leaned forward, resting her forehead against the cool pane of glass.

"Where did we go wrong?" she whispered. "All of our plans. How to show Templars that the mages didn't need to be feared and how to show mages that the Templars were there to protect them, where did we go wrong?"

He swallowed heavily; his memories of them lying in front of the fire, stated from their love-making and making plans for the future came back to the forefront. He remembered how they made plans to show the mages and Templars that they could work together for a better future.

She turned around and suddenly, she looked younger than her age. She shook her head.

"Where did we go wrong, Cullen? How did everything end up like this? Was everything we planned and talked about was for nothing? That all of this was inevitable?"

"I don't know," he confessed, stepping closer to her, his grey eyes locked on her green eyes. "But I do know this; we can salvage this, Solona. We can find a way to create peace once more; we can find a way to show the Mages and Templars that they can work together."

She smiled softly, her hand going to her cheek and he held his breath, his eyes closing at her touch. It felt like he had come home.

"You still held onto your belief despite everything," she whispered and he opened his eyes to see that fond look in her eyes. "You are an amazing man."

She dropped her hand and he felt cold. "But this place is proof that Templars are not willing to listen to us." He stiffened. "Can you feel it? The air stinks of blood of the slaves that were killed all those years ago. The barrier to the Fade is so thin," her skin flashed blue. "I can feel the demons and spirits. I can hear them call to me, whispering promises of power within my ears," she closed her eyes and let out a shuddering breath which he could see before her eyes snapped open and her powers washed over them room.

"If I can hear them," she pinned him with hard cold eyes, "then so can the other mages. They never had a chance. They would have all submitted to the demons and blood magic before long due to the repeated process of temptations. And I'm not naïve enough to believe the Templars doesn't know the History of this place."

She brushed by him and he felt his hackles rise at her words but pushed it back down. She was right. There were Templars who used the history of the place as a way of breaking the mages. The Harrowing was far more dangerous here than it ever way in Ferelden. Only those who had been warned of the Fade had a chance of passing.

"Have you lost your hope?" he asked and he could feel her stiffening despite the fact she was now on the other side of the room and he wasn't even looking at her. "Have you lost your dreams and faith?"

"They lost hope in me," she told him, her tone tired and he turned to look at her. "They cast me out of my home because a man I considered as my brother was discovered to be a blood mage and they punished me because they couldn't punish him. I was conscripted by the Grey Wardens and I was forced to watch another man I loved as a brother die in front of me and the man I loved turned his back on me because I was a mage and was trying to protect those who refused to submit to Uldred's bidding."

She turned to face him, "No, Cullen. I never lost my dreams and my faith, they were shattered by that fateful night and I never had the chance to recover them." She bowed her head and shook it. "Goodnight Cullen." She opened the door and walked out. Out of his life once more he didn't know.

He made his way over to his chair and sat down heavily before he leaned forward, his head falling into his hands as he wished he could go back to that fateful day and protect the woman he once knew.

He wondered what he could do to bring her back and an idea dawned on him. Maybe there was still a chance. After all, Anders said he had to earn it.

~_WMA_~

He was beginning to be frustrated, he had asked about for where Solona had been given room only to be told that Solona Amell wasn't within the tower. He would have asked the Chantry but she once told him that she didn't feel welcomed with the Chantry.

Then it dawned on him where she could have gone to. The Hawke's Estate. The one place where she had a family.

He made his way toward there with haste, taking care not to alert anyone to his speed. People were still on an edge after what had happened to the Chantry and seeing the Knight-Commander rushing about would have just panicked them even more.

He managed to make it to the Estate without bother and entered without knocking. She rarely locked her doors due to her ability with magic. The first few times people tried to break into her room with her in had them bolting with patches of ice stuck to their body, much to his amusement.

He, on the other hand, locked the door behind him. He knew Kirkwall better than she did and it was better to be safe than sorry.

He made his way up the stairs, knowing she would be in Marian's bedroom – he knew which one it was thanks to their search in a bid to find out where Anders could have gone. He had been desperate for any indications to where the mage would have run to but had failed to find anything in their search.

He reached the doorway to see she had lit a fire within the fireplace and was standing next to the large bed, her eyes closed as she used her magic to scan for information regarding her cousin. He knew she would be curious about the family she didn't know she had.

"She's a fire mage," she whispered, her hand hovering above the bed. A small smile crossed his lips at her words. She always knew when he was there and it seems no matter how much distance or time they put between them, they would still know the other.

"Yes, she was," he confirmed. She nodded but her brows wrinkled.

"There is something familiar," she took a step back, cancelling the spell. "But I can't place it."

"Could it be Anders?" he asked. She spun around with wide eyes. He smiled. "Your cousin and Anders were lovers."

"No," she shook her head in disbelief.

"Yes," he confirmed, stepping further. "Anders committed himself to a woman, and to no other but your cousin. I guess the Amell females tend to have that habit, after all, Bethany – the youngest and also a mage – followed your footsteps in choosing a partner." She frowned, confused. "I saw her a few times with a fellow Templar, Keran. She and Marian saved him from becoming an abomination. At first, I think it started off as protecting her from the other Templars then grew to become more."

Her eyes were wide in disbelief and he grinned, pushing her mouth close. His finger then trailed over her lips then down her cheek, over her chin and down her neck.

"They're close; I caught them kissing a few times within a nook of a hallway, much like us, if I remember correctly." He moved in closer and she swallowed, her eyes fluttering at the memories. "Do you remember how it felt? Hiding away yet knowing we could be caught at any moment by someone else?"

"Cullen," her voice turned husky and he felt desire shoot through him, coiling in his stomach. He stepped in closer so their bodies brushed against the other and she moaned. His fingers went from her neck to her hair, needing to feel the softness once more.

His other hand came up to her elbow, touching her soft skin and he felt their skin crackle due to her magic reacting to his Templar abilities. She closed her eyes as pleasure crossed her face and he swallowed before she opened her eyes, dark with lust.

"Do you remember the nights we would share to together?" her lips parted as her breathing turned heavy. "Because I do, I remember them every night. The feel of you under me, the feel of your legs wrapped around my waist, the feel of you pressed up – every inch of you – against my body."

She whimpered, her body pressing up against his, his hand – that was on her elbow – slid down, brushing fingers together before they went around her waist, pulling her in and causing her back to arch.

"I remember how you tasted," her hands curled into his trousers. "Do you still taste the same 'Lona? Or have you gotten sweeter?" he bent his head, his lips brushing against her, eager to taste her.

There was a bark and it broke the mood. His arms dropped back down to his side, she took a step back before stepping around him while he closed his eyes in frustration. He had been so close.

Calming himself down, he turned around to see Solona was kneeling in front of a dog, the same dog that accompanied her in the Tower. He vaguely remembered seeing the dog but had been in too much pain to acknowledge it.

"You have a dog," he said, mostly to himself. She turned her head to look at him and he felt a sense of male satisfaction at seeing her face still slightly flushed.

"His name is Daleth; I helped the dog breeder at Ostagar cure him. He had been tainted by the darkspawns and the breeder was worried that he wouldn't live through the night unless I found a flower. He became attached to me afterward." She turned back to her dog, which wagged tail happily before licking her cheek.

"Hm," he nodded wondering where the in the fade the dog had been when he entered the house in the first place and narrowed his eyes at the creature. Surely it hadn't done this on purpose, right?

"Why did you come by here?" she stood up and turned to look at him, her arms across under her breasts. His eyes dropped briefly to them, remembering how they felt in his hands before he cleared his throat, bringing himself out of his daze.

"I wanted to say goodnight but you didn't take the room that was offered within the tower so I took a guess that you came here and wanted to make sure you were safe."

"Well," she nodded and tucked her hair behind her ear. "I'm safe, as you can see. You should get back to the tower before someone starts to worry about their Knight-Commander being missing. We shouldn't cause any more panic."

"Of course," he quickly nodded before he left the room with her following closely. It was amazing how awkward a situation could become, especially when they had come so close to being intimate…again. He shot a brief scowl at the dog only for it to bark happily and he narrowed his eyes once more at him.

There was something he was missing regarding that dog. He just knew it.

He reached the front stoop in record time before turning around to look at her once more. She was biting her lower lip. He felt another rush of desire shoot through him; the Maker was indeed punishing him.

"Lock your doors," he told her. She opened her mouth to protest but he was firm, shaking his head. "Solona, promise me you will lock your doors." She closed her mouth, considering him for a moment before she gave him a nod.

"I'll lock my door," she promised and he nodded, his eyes falling back onto her lips. He wanted to taste them, wanted to know if she tasted the same. The dog barked once more and she took a step back.

"I'll come by your office tomorrow morning," she told him before she bid him goodnight and shut the door. He stood there for a moment longer before turning around, mentally cursing the dog for interrupting them. He had been so close, so damn close to being in her arms once more.

~_WMA_~

She was in his office practically at the crack of dawn, ready and willing to dig into the search in order to find out where Anders could have disappeared to and to find out what had caused Anders to take such a drastic action. She knew that Anders had always had a problem with the Templars but he had never gone as far as killing innocent people.

He was a lover, not a destroyer.

The awkwardness that had been there due to being interrupted the night before wasn't there anymore. She was friendly and answering his questions without hostility that it bewildered him. On one hand, he was pleased to have gotten on good terms with the woman but at the same time, he was annoyed that she didn't seem as frustrated as he did.

Needless to say, he didn't have a good night due to being so close to having her under him once more and his memories of their past spent their time tormenting him.

Seeing her right now was bringing memories back, she was clad in a simple floor length brown skirt and a white shirt, similar clothing she wore back in the circle. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail and his fingers itched to run through the silken locks.

He had forgone his armour, needing the freedom to move about and since he wasn't planning on going anywhere else, it seemed ridiculous to wear his armour. He was dressed in a simple white shirt and comfortable breeches.

He was currently reading the map, looking at the markers from all the reports where people have said they have seen either Marian Hawke, she was important and one of the people who could help to bring the war to an end, and Anders. He hoped they would be able to find Anders soon, he knew Solona was worried about the mage.

Solona was currently going through any notes Anders had made that had been found within his clinic in Darktown, she had found it endearing that Anders had used his healing abilities for helping people, that was the Anders she knew, and notes from the Hawke's estate, bemused by the notes scribbled all over the papers in different handwriting.

It had reminded her so much to her own group, something she said aloud without realising it. He had looked over at her to see the soft sad smile as she remembered her own group. He knew that they all went on their own way after the Blight but he had a feeling, just like they found each other – they would find themselves banding together to stop the next war if it came down to it.

"Miss Amell?" the young elf asked as he peered around the door. She smiled softly when she saw him, bidding him into the room.

"Can I help you?" she asked him. Cullen looked up from his desk to the see the elf moving closer to her, he was holding an envelope.

"I have receive a message for you," he held it out and she took with a nod of her head.

"Thank you for bringing it," she told him, opening the seal and read the contents before humming under her breath. "First Enchanter Irving says more mages have turned up at their towers. They are offering sanctuary to those who are willing to work with the Templars toward a better future."

"Hm, so they are willing to work with us," Cullen frowned contemplating. He just hoped the news wouldn't get back to Anders; they didn't need Anders trying to blow up another Chantry in a bid to escalate the war. She cast him a dark look.

"You no longer believe all mages are blood mages waiting to control everyone?" she asked bitterly and he felt his back stiffen at the words, glaring right back at her.

"You no longer believe all Templars are rapists?" he shot back, unable to control the venom in his voice. They glared at each other across the table and it was like nothing had change; that time and space had hardened them, embittered them.

The messenger looked between them with wide eyes filled with fear. He began shuffling his feet, wondering if it was safe for him to leave or if he would risk their wrath turning onto him. She took pity on him.

"You can leave," she told the young elf, her fingers dipping into the pouch and she pulled out coins, slipping them into his hand. "I will have a reply penned later tonight so could you come by tomorrow morning to collect it?"

"Yes, Miss Amell," he bowed his head before he scampered quickly out of the door, the door banging close.

The tension in the air grew thicker as they tried to ignore the other. He inwardly berated himself for slipping up but at the same time, he found himself wishing she could just let that comment go.

He tried his hardest to pretend she wasn't there, sitting across from him with that stubborn lock of hair loose from her tie. She would pretend that he wasn't there, keeping her eyes glued to the papers before her but he knew they both were acutely aware the other was in the room.

They were always like this, trying to pretend the other wasn't there before they ended up giving into their desires. Especially when they first gave in to each other. It had been forbidden and they did everything they could to ensure no one would find out.

Now…they were on his turf, he was the one who created the rules and no-one would be able to say a thing about them having a relationship if he made it clear it was off limits. His anger grew at the thought of her going about as normal, not giving any indication that she was as frustrated that he was.

She startled him out of his thoughts by slamming her hand on the table and standing up. She brushed that lock behind her ear and pinned him with a hard look.

"I'm going out," she told him, pushing the chair back and heading toward the door but his control snapped. He wasn't going to let her walk away, not this time.

He got up and rounded the desk, reaching the door in long strides, blocking the door with his body. She stared up at him, bewildered before annoyance took over.

"Get out of my way," she warned him, her voice low.

"You are not leaving until we have a chat," he told her, his own eyes hard. She gritted her teeth, her skin flaring lightly and the magic washed over him. With a quick wave of his hand, he used his ability to dampen her magic.

She growled, furious that he dared to use his Templar abilities against her and decided to show him that she was serious about him moving. Her hands sparked, ice crackling between her fingers as the temperature around her dropped.

Her skin started to taken on a glowing blue hue and he felt his desire snapped his control.

He growled deep in his throat, grabbing her by her arms and hauling her up against his body. Her eyes widen and she opened her mouth to protest only to moan when his crashed upon hers. Her body arched up into his, her hands sliding up his chest, over his shoulders and into his hair.

His hands broke free from their grip on her arms and slid around her waist, holding her close as he tasted her for the first time in a long time. She tasted the same, she smelt the same and – he tried the trick he used the last time and got a noise that was half between a moan and a gasp – she sounded the same.

He pushed her backward until her back hit the table. His hands slid down, cupping her bum and he lifted her up onto the wood. Her arms tightened around his neck, her legs spreading as he pushed the skirt up as far as it could go.

His hands soon encountered smooth skin and he groaned into her mouth, his palms skimming her legs until he reached her knees and gripped them from behind, pulling her forward with a sharp tug.

She arched up into his body, breaking the kiss as her head fell backward. He took the invitation to kiss her neck as her hands went to his shirt, gripping the middle and ripping it. She obviously didn't want to waste time. Maybe the moment the dog interrupted was playing on her mind too.

He shrugged off the ruined shirt, his arms banding around her body once more as her hands went to his chest, mapping him, committing him to memory. Her fingers soon curled around his arms as he pulled away to look at woman before him.

She managed to open her eyes to look back at him and he felt he could see deep into her core. He pulled his arms away from her, his fingers ripping her shirt off and flinging it into the corner. He quickly undid the tie to her skirt and she shifted, helping him to slip it off her body.

Soon she was lying before him in her smalls, her skin flushed. He ripped the tie away from her hair allowing it to frame her body. He groaned at the sight she made before he kissed her deeply.

Her hands cupped his cheeks before one slid into his blonde hair and the other caressed the skin over his heart before moving down lower, playing with the tie of his breeches but he smacked her hand away. He wasn't finished with her body, not by a long shot.

Time to find out what tasted the same and what tasted differently.

With that in mind, he broke the kiss and kissed her neck, trailing over her collarbone before dipping down lower to where her breasts were. With a quick flick of his hand, he snapped the flimsy material that held her breasts and threw it across the room.

She tasted sweeter than he remembered, his head dipping down to take a nipple. One hand flew to his head, holding him close before he released it with a pop. He turned to the other one, giving it the same treatment.

Her hips began straining as she writhed under him. He lifted his eyes to see her face flushed with pleasure, her lower lips caught between her teeth as she tried to hold back her cries before he moved down lower.

Her head snapped up, her eyes widening when she realised what he was going to do. Her hand began tugging but he was stronger, stubborn. He refused to let her deter him as he shifted so he was between her spread legs.

He could see the wet patch that began to show up, leaning in and flicking his tongue over the material. Her hips snapped up causing him to reach one hand up, placing it over her lower to stomach.

He remembered all too clearly the broken nose she gave him the first time he did this.

"Cullen…" she begged as he teased her, his lips travelling over her thighs before his need to taste her grew stronger. With his free hand, he roughly pulled the material down and leaned in once more.

With a flick of his tongue, he could say that she tasted the same. She groaned, her head falling back, her toes curling. Her thighs were trembling and he decided that he didn't want to tease her any longer.

Calling upon his memories, he remembered the tricks he used and soon she was biting into her hand, whimpering his name. He chuckled darkly against her and her hips snapped up. He arched an eyebrow intrigued, maybe there something new after all.

He stood up, undoing his breeches and shoving them down. She reached for him but he stopped her, as much as he wanted to feel her hands and mouth around him, he wanted her more and he would be damned if he let more time pass before he thrust into her.

"Cullen…" she gasped, her hips bucking up into his. He stopped, looking down at her. She was flushed, sweaty and waiting…for him. She opened her eyes and he saw the desire in them. She seemed to understand where his thoughts had gone, a hand sliding up his stomach, over his chest and around his shoulder as she pulled herself up.

She pulled him down, kissing him softly before she laid back, bringing him with her and he moved, causing her to gasp, her legs curling around his waist. His hands gripped her thighs, needing to feel her skin in his hands as he broke the kiss to stare down at her.

She stared back steadily as he continued to move, his pace getting rougher. He wanted to slow down, to take his time but his anger and frustration was pushing him on, to make it clear to her that she belonged to him and only him and that he wasn't going to let her go this time.

Her thighs tightened around him, her hands going to his shoulders before her nails lightly raked down his back, sending shivers down his spine. She added a little cold magic and he drove into her harder than the last time.

"You're mine," he whispered and she gasped. His hand slid into her hair, tangling within the dark-red curls as he moved harder, pulling her down at the same time. Her eyes fluttered and he tightened his grip in her hair, jerking sharply.

"Don't close them," he ordered her and she swallowed, he felt the evidence that she liked the order and groaned into her neck. He had forgotten how responsive she could be when he ordered her like this.

It was nearly enough to undo him but he managed to regain his control, lifting his head to meet her eyes once more. He wanted to see her pleasure, he wanted to feel her fall apart and he wanted to hear her say his name.

"You're mine," he repeated. "You belong to me; I'm the only man who will get to see you like this, who will get to fuck you like this." His grip tightened as she whimpered, clenching harder around him. Her lips parted, gasps escaping and he felt a wall break down between them for the first time since she came back into his life.

"I'm sorry, I am so sorry," he whispered over and over, needing her to know how truly sorry he was for his words all those years ago.

"I love you," she whispered and he stopped, staring into her eyes. She gave him a tender smile, her hand tracing his features. He closed his eyes, turning his head and kissing her palm before looking at her once more. "I love you," A forgiveness and an apology all in three words.

He kissed her roughly, hauling her up against his body as he took her harder, going deeper and faster. He needed her, needed to feel she wanted him, that she needed him as much as he needed her.

She came with a cry of his name, her nails digging into his back. She turned her face into his neck, muffling her cries of pleasure against his skin so they wouldn't alert anyone to their actions. He groaned when he felt her surrender her to pleasure, his fingers tightening around her skin to the point they would leave bruises in the morning as he submitted.

Soon he fell against her body, breathing heavy as she panted into his ear before she kissed the spot behind his ear, that spot she always kissed after they've finished and he felt tears fill up his eyes. He never knew how much he missed that one little action.

"I love you too," he whispered into her neck and she smiled.

The End

Yay! I actually managed to write a Cullen/Amell story (after agonising over what kind of plot I should use for them) and added in a whole new pairing – for me - (Bethany/Keran) while including my two favourite pairings (Alistair/Elissa – though heart-breaking – and Anders/Marian).

And finished the damn thing without having a breakdown too! (Near thing, I tell you)


End file.
